How much does sound design matter?

At RECON, Troy will show us how thoughtful sound design can enhance any immersive experience, and will provide practical guidance on how to improve your audio on any budget.

About Troy

Troy Armstrong is the Director of Product Design for Great Big Game Show, where he leads the creative development of immersive, live-action game show experiences.

Troy has worked in the escape game industry since 2017 and joined The Escape Game in 2020. There he continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the sound and music identity of its award-winning experiences including The Depths, Timeliner, Cosmic Crisis [Golden Lock Award Winner 2024], Ruins, and Legend of the Yeti. He has also collaborated with clients ranging from Nickelodeon (Rugrats) and Cheetos to Disney (Mysterious Benedict Society) and Hulu (Only Murders in the Building).

Troy holds degrees in music composition from the University of Southern California (B.M.) and the University of Texas at Austin (M.M.). An active commissioned composer, his concert works have been performed across the United States, Canada, Central America, Australia, and Europe by distinguished ensembles including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the U.S. Navy Band.

He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee, with his partner, Taylor, and their dog, Elly.

The post How Much Does Sound Design Matter? appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Can you build world class escape rooms by yourself?

Bill Dalitsikas is the founder and creative director of Lockhill, an internationally recognized horror escape room brand based in Athens, Greece. At RECON, Bill will explore his triumphs and struggles as a solo creator, providing invaluable lessons on the risk and rewards of relying too much on yourself.

Bill has faced a lot as a solo creator in one of the world’s most competitive escape room markets. For anyone in a creative field, working solo or with a large team, come take insights from Bill’s experiences to better position you to make creative decisions for your business.

About Bill

Bill Dalitsikas is the founder and creative director of Lockhill, an internationally recognized horror escape room brand based in Athens, Greece.

Over the past decade, his work has received multiple international distinctions and has been ranked among the top horror experiences worldwide, contributing to the broader conversation around narrative-driven immersive design.

Rather than refining a single formula, each new project explores a different direction for the medium. He was among the early adopters of integrating live actors as core gameplay elements and has developed continuous narrative structures and immersive introductions that begin before the first puzzle is touched.

In most of his projects, Bill has worked hands-on across disciplines, from architectural builds and puzzle systems to lighting and sound. This multidisciplinary approach grew from curiosity and necessity and continues to shape how he thinks about creation, collaboration, and long-term sustainability.

Listen to Bill on REPOD

Bill was a guest on Season 9, Episode 12: Designing for Chaos:

The post Can You Build World Class Escape Rooms by Yourself? appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

What’s an escape room business worth?

Marcelo Morales built a multi-location escape room business through acquisitions and original builds. He’ll share his perspective on the value of an escape room business and what choices you can make to increase of decrease that value.

Whether you’re looking to grow your business, or just understand how to run a healthy one, Marcelo will share lessons you can bring back to your own escape room or immersive gaming business.

About Marcelo

Marcelo is a senior project manager for an industrial production line manufacturer and a multi-location escape room owner operating approximately 18 active games across four locations under Encrypted Escape and Captured LV in PA and MD, with experience growing businesses through both acquisitions and original builds. By day, he manages multimillion-dollar industrial projects where capital planning, risk management, and execution discipline are critical. By night, he enters the realm of escape room design, construction and their finances.

He has built games, evaluated, purchased, and integrated existing escape room businesses and learned firsthand that the real challenge begins after the deal closes. Replacing aging games, funding rebuilds, managing cash flow, and maintaining guest experience often cost more than expected, even as acquisitions reduce early risk by avoiding permitting and build-out. His decisions focus on long-term profitability through disciplined reinvestment, careful use of capital, and resisting short-term growth that quietly erodes margins over time.

The post What’s an Escape Room Business Worth? appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

RECON takes place August 16-17, 2026 in Laval, Quebec, CA.

By sponsoring RECON, you’ll position your brand at the forefront of industry innovation. Sponsorship benefits will be visible before, during, and long after the event, helping build your brand’s reputation well into the future.

Who is a good Sponsor for RECON?

RECON brings together an audience of escape room owners and creators who are eager to learn about products and services that can help their businesses thrive.

Past sponsors have included companies providing:

• Technology
• Booking software
• Game management software
• Marketing, consulting and other business services
• Experiences for players, including VR and tabletop games

If you have a product or service that supports the escape room and immersive gaming industries, you need to be at RECON.

What’s included in Sponsorship?

We offer three sponsorship tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each offers progressive levels of visibility and benefits before, during, and after RECON Laval.

Every sponsorship includes a booth in the RECON Exhibit Hall, the perfect place to meet attendees and showcase your products and services.

For details on sponsorship packages, contact Cindi, RECON’s Sponsorship Coordinator, through the RECON website.

Get Your RECON Ticket

If you are an owner or creator of escape rooms or immersive games, we hope you’ll join us at RECON Laval. Get your ticket today!

The post RECON 26 Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“ I appreciated your janitor’s slow decline into madness.”

BLOT needs our help! The Bureau of Legitimate and Otherworldly Troubles has suffered a breach in their laboratory, and they need someone to clean up the mess. In the lab, there’s a chalkboard to the left,  a table with beakers and test tubes to the right and a small computer desk. The room is covered with a strange, gunky substance all over the walls and floor. What would you like to do?

BLOT was the official game for RECON Remote 25, available to play for all Community, Pro, and Champion ticket holders who opted in. It was created and run by Mark Larson, who was a guest on REPOD S5E11. On this episode, Yannick Trapman-O’Brien and Lyra Levin join us to play BLOT.

Lyra was a featured speaker for RECON Remote 25 with her talk, Make Stuff Fast: Rapid Prototyping for Interactive Experiences, now available on YouTube. Yannick originally appeared on REPOD S8E7 to talk about his incredible show for one, Undersigned. They joined us on REPOD for an actual play of BLOT. Lyra and Yannick are both experienced improvisers, and I’d never laughed so hard watching a play-through. Scroll down to the timestamps to follow along with game images.

If you missed playing this game during RECON Remote 25, or if you want to relive your glory moments, join us for this final play-through of BLOT.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Game Timestamps

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 09:27 The Game Begins…
• 11:40 Science Lab

• 13:10 Lab Table

• 13:19 Lab note

• 15: 42 Keypad

• 16:15 Keypad 2

• 17:01 Keypad 3

• 17:43 Keypad 4

• 17:57 The Anvil and the Splotches
• 18:12 Closet Note

• 20:14 Chalkboard with Black Gunk

• 28:37 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 29:48 The Lab Computer
• 32:53 The Broken Chalkboard

• 33:56 The New Room
• 34:25 Computer Note

• 38:03 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 40:01 Outside

• 42:07 Create Note

• 01:04:58 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 01:06:43 The Creature Appears

• 1:07:04 The Creature

• 01:32:57 Credits

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

About Mark Larson

Mark Larson is a designer of interactive experiences, puzzles, escape rooms, and tabletop games. His work focuses on combining narrative storytelling, engaging gameplay, thought-provoking puzzles, and a healthy dose of fun. He’s best known for his series of Audio Escape Adventures, including Escape from Escape Island for RECON Remote 21 and The Shop of Theseus for RECON Remote 23. You can view a sample of his work at mrklrsn.com.

About Lyra Levin

Lyra Levin is a performer and producer of immersive experiences that lower barriers to empathy. In her work, participants find agency in a blend of fantasy and reality. Whether she’s bridging between entertainment and civic engagement (Democracy & Dragons, Civic Salon), cultivating creative ecosystems where hundreds of artists find their voices (Enemies of Time, Dovetail), or building architectural marvels for international audiences (Sonic Sphere, Megabots), Lyra uses her diverse backgrounds in circus, immersive theatre, and mechanical engineering to execute ambitious visions. Worlds with consequences are ones in which our actions matter; Lyra invites others to those worlds, in every medium and language. lyralev.in

About  Yannick Trapman-O’Brien

Instagram: @lil.janjohn

Yannick is a Performer, Theatermaker, and Creative Hand for Hire. His practice centers on exploring the exchanges and spaces we are willing to make with strangers, and the exploration of unorthodox applications for performance. He is the creator of a series of critically acclaimed immersive experiences, including the award-winning and long-running telephone experience The Telelibrary. His works have been official selections at La Jolla Playhouse’s Without Walls Festival, as well as the Denver, True/False, and Overlook Film Festivals, and cited as a “North Star” in the industry for creating responsive and deeply personal encounters for audiences of one at a time.

People pay him to act, which he has done in Shakespeare, devised work, performance actions and immersive works, as well as amphitheaters, basements, historical mansions, forests and one time on a bike. Yannick received his BA in Theater from NYU Abu Dhabi, training at The Experimental Theater Wing in New York, The Studies in Shakespeare program at RADA in London, and The International Theater Workshop in Amsterdam. The process was needlessly complicated and overly optimistic, as are most things he ascribes to and enjoys.

As a consultant, he helps organizations shape engagement and think critically about the exchanges they make with their constituents, from single events to workshops to BFA programs. He is a Project Specialist at Monument Lab, recently serving as Programming Coordinator for the Pulling Together Exhibition, part of the Beyond Granite initiative on the National Mall.

Past credits include include training and work with Theater Mitu, Witness Relocation and the Interactive Playlab, collaborations with Al-Bustan, Guerilla Science and NYU Open Arts, and consulting with The Temple of the Stranger, along with appearances at The Walnut Street Theater, The American Czech Theater, New Light Theater, the Franklin Institute, and Morris Jumel Mansion, and collaborations with Public Movement (2016) and Amalia Pica (2017) at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Occasionally, he sleeps. yannickto.com

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD S10E11: Yannick Trapman-O’Brien & Lyra Levin Play BLOT appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Moreover, we hope you’ll join us at our next event, RECON Laval 26. This summer’s event will be in person in Laval, Québec, Canada. That means the talks won’t be made available on YouTube. To see them, you need a ticket to RECON. Tickets are on sale now!

If you’re getting value from the RECON Remote videos, we strongly encourage you to come in person. It’s a different experience to be in the room, experiencing the talks in person, joining the Q&As, and contributing to discussion groups. There will be an exhibit hall with products and services designed for escape room creators and operators. And that’s not all. (Read about all the ticket features here under “ticket highlights.”)

RECON Laval will be an incredible event in one of the world’s most impressive escape room destinations. You’ll love it.

We published Lori Greene’s talk on Fire Safety on YouTube back in September.

And now the full RECON 25 playlist is available on YouTube!

If you want to see the live Q&A that followed these talks, they are available to our Patreon backers at $5 per month and above. Just join our Patreon community to get access.

RECON 26

• August 16-17, 2026
• Laval, Québec, Canada
• Event Details

If you create or operate escape rooms or immersive games, this is an event you won’t want to miss. If you’re thinking about getting your start in this industry, come to RECON and get connected… to people and ideas. RECON is designed to propel this industry forward, creating sustainable careers, and giving players memorable adventures long into the future. Come be a part of this conversation.

Use code REA50 to get $50 off a RECON 26 General Ticket. (This holiday coupon code expires on December 31, 2025.)

The post 🎥 RECON Replay: Full RECON 25 Playlist appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

“ The joy of live performance is that we’re all experiencing the same thing together and it unites us as a community.”

When I think of crossword puzzles, I think of a quiet, cerebral exercise. It’s often a solitary activity, maybe occasionally yelling out if anyone knows a four letter word for “milk’s favorite cookie.” When Zach Sherwin considered crossword puzzles, however, he thought, okay… but what if it also had comedians, rap, music, and just a little bit of chaos, all wrapped up in an epically funny live show?

Zach Sherwin has long had a way with words. He cut his teeth performing sketch comedy and honing his rapping skills as MC Mr. Napkins. He eventually found his way to Epic Rap Battles of History, which found a way to make nerdy, boring history feel fun and – dare I say – cool.

His love of wordplay and puzzles led him to create The Crossword Show. Zach Sherwin presides as two guest comedians solve a crossword puzzle live onstage, with everything displayed on a big screen so you can follow along. As the solvers decipher the clues, Zach takes the show down rabbit holes of comedy, music, wordplay and trivia, all inspired by the answer words. Everything ties together at the end for a grand finale. It is clever, hilarious, and had me awestruck at the mental gymnastics Zach goes through over the course of the show.

Zach joins us on REPOD to talk about how he turned a quiet nerdy activity into something funny, thrilling, and interactive. I really enjoyed hearing him talk about the secret sauce of crafting this show, from how he adjusts the difficulty of the clues, to what makes a live show special. He was a delightful guest.

Are you intrigued by how a live crossword stage show works? Zach will be performing at the Reality Escape Convention in Laval in 2026. This is a show you won’t want to miss.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG’s Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Support Room Escape Artist on Patreon

Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we’ve been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events.

By becoming a Patreon supporter, you’re not just backing a blog — you’re fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. You can also access exclusive Patreon content such as the Bonus Aftershow, Spoilers Club, and get early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles.

Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.

PG’s Playhouse Podcast

If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG’s Playhouse recreates a fun game night with friends, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what’s game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes!

Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you’ll take a listen and play along with us at PG’s Playhouse.

Buzzshot

Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.

COGS

COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when.

Special Offer for REPOD Listeners:

REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 06:24 The Concept of the Crossword Show
• 09:46 The Origin of The Crossword Show
• 15:30 Collaborating with Crossword Constructors
• 18:56 The Crossword Show Experience
• 21:50 Sponsor Break: Room Escape Artist Patreon – Bonus Episodes, Spoilers Club & More
• 23:24 Differences Between the Show and a Normal Crossword
• 27:36 The Makings of a Great Onstage Guest
• 31:36 Aspects of a Good Audience
• 32:42 Sponsor Break: PG’s Playhouse – Puzzles, Pals, and Trivia
• 34:19 The Various Versions of The Crossword Show
• 37:12 Behind the Scenes: Tech and Production
• 39:45 When the Show Has Gone Wrong
• 42:21 Editing and Material Management
• 45:37 Sponsor Break: Cogs By Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 47:12 Origin Story: Becoming a Rapper
• 49:50 The Evolution of Mr. Napkins
• 54:57 Epic Rap Battles of History
• 01:05:16 Zach’s Escape Room Journey
• 01:11:09 Future Plans and Reflections
• 01:15:21 Credits
• 01:17:41 The Escape Room Birthday Kid

Leave a Voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• The Crossword Show Website
• The Crossword Show Mailing List
• Epic Rap Battles of History You Tube
• Mohonk Mountain House Wonderful World of Words
• Preaching Escape Rooms Talk at Mohonk Wonderful World of Words

About Zach Sherwin

Instagram: @zachsherwin

In THE CROSSWORD SHOW, host Zach Sherwin (“Epic Rap Battles of History,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) presides as a panel of guests solves an actual crossword puzzle live onstage, with everything displayed on a big screen so the audience can follow along. As the solvers decipher the clues, Zach takes the show down rabbit holes of comedy, music, wordplay and trivia inspired by the answer words, and everything ties together at the end for a grand finale that’s as satisfying as it is mind-blowing. You don’t need any crossword expertise to be dazzled by this joyful, brainy, one-of-a-kind experience! “Tons of fun.” –New York Times. “Nerdtastic.” –Washington City Paper. “Jaw-dropping.” –SFGate. 

ZACH SHERWIN is a Los Angeles-based comedian. His writing for the web series Epic Rap Battles of History has received numerous Streamy Awards and Emmy nominations, and the Epic Rap Battles in which he’s co-starred have amassed over half a billion YouTube views and an RIAA-certified Gold record. His own YouTube videos have been viewed many millions of times, and his other writing credits include Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW) and MAD Magazine. As a performer, Zach has appeared on shows ranging from Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell (FX) to America’s Got Talent (NBC), and he has also worked extensively as a TV audience warm-up comic, including at the last three years of the Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals. In 2025, he published his second crossword puzzle in the New York Times.

Support REPOD

• Subscribe to Patreon for bonus content.
• Please rate and review our podcast!

Thanks for listening!

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

The post REPOD S10E10: Comedy, Rap, and Crosswords: The Crossword Show with Zach Sherwin appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Manda Whitney’s charm transforms a topic many people find at best, dry, and at worst, terrifying. Best of all, this Certified Fraud Examiner knows escape rooms, so she’s able to present a topic that all business owners need through a familiar lens.

At RECON, we strive to build more than just amazing games. We strive to build successful, sustainable businesses that will propel this industry into the future. To that end, we bring in experts like Manda to teach you how to look at your books and feel confident in your decision making.

At RECON Laval, you’ll have the opportunity to meet other business owners to learn from and bond with. RECON brings peers together for discussion, learning, and fun. RECON Laval tickets are on sale now! Don’t miss this opportunity to get connected.

If you want to see the live Q&A that followed this talk, it is available to our Patreon backers at $5 per month and above. Just join our Patreon community to get access.

About this Talk

Don’t Get Heisted: Fraud Prevention and Detection for Escape Rooms

Long time escape room player and industry commentator Manda Whitney is also a certified fraud examiner. By day, she puts her puzzling skills to work reviewing books and tracking down stolen money. Fraud is all too common in small business. She understands both how fraud happens, and how it can happen within the structure of an escape room business. Here, she’ll teach you practical defenses that will help ensure that you get to keep the money you make.

About this Speaker

Manda Whitney

Manda Whitney is a Certified Fraud Examiner as well as a Narrative Designer and consumes all things story in whatever medium she can. She has helped design numerous escape rooms, large scale escape events, and take home escape rooms, and was a host on the Room Escape Divas podcast. She has been a fraud examiner and anti-money laundering investigator for four years, and is passionate about educating individuals and businesses on fraud prevention.

RECON 26

• August 16-17, 2026
• Laval, Québec, Canada
• Event Details

If you create or operate escape rooms or immersive games, this is an event you won’t want to miss. If you’re thinking about getting your start in this industry, come to RECON and get connected… to people and ideas. RECON is designed to propel this industry forward, creating sustainable careers, and giving players memorable adventures long into the future. Come be a part of this conversation.

Use code REA50 to get $50 off a RECON 26 General Ticket. (This holiday coupon code expires on December 31, 2025.)

The post 🎥 RECON Replay: Don’t Get Heisted: Fraud Prevention and Detection for Escape Rooms appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

RECON is the place to meet other makers. Whether you’re an experienced maker, an aspiring maker, or somewhere in between, come to RECON Laval to find your people, share ideas, and evolve your craft.

Tickets are on sale now!

If you want to see the live Q&A that followed this talk, it is available to our Patreon backers at $5 per month and above. Just join our Patreon community to get access.

About this Talk

Make Stuff Fast: Rapid Prototyping for Interactive Experiences

You have amazing ideas rattling around in your brain, and your players are dying to experience them – but there’s this pesky gap called “reality” standing in the way. Join Lyra as she shows you how to transform your wildest concepts into tangible, touchable, puzzle-solvable objects using modern rapid prototyping tools and a healthy dose of creative chaos. We’ll race through computer-aided design, laser cutting, 3D printing, finishing techniques, and the ancient art of knowing when to do less. Warning: side effects may include an uncontrollable urge to hoard tools, use acronyms, and get messy.

About this Speaker

Lyra Levin

Lyra Levin is a performer and producer of immersive experiences that lower barriers to empathy.

In her work, participants find agency in a blend of fantasy and reality. Whether she’s bridging between entertainment and civic engagement (Democracy & Dragons, Civic Salon), cultivating creative ecosystems where hundreds of artists find their voices (Enemies of Time, Dovetail), or building architectural marvels for international audiences (The Attraction, Sonic Sphere, Megabots), Lyra uses her diverse backgrounds in circus, immersive theatre, and mechanical engineering to execute ambitious visions.

Worlds with consequences are ones in which our actions matter; Lyra invites others to those worlds, in every medium and language.

RECON 26

• August 16-17, 2026
• Laval, Québec, Canada
• Event Details

If you create or operate escape rooms or immersive games, this is an event you won’t want to miss. If you’re thinking about getting your start in this industry, come to RECON and get connected… to people and ideas. RECON is designed to propel this industry forward, creating sustainable careers, and giving players memorable adventures long into the future. Come be a part of this conversation.

Use code REA50 to get $50 off a RECON 26 General Ticket. (This holiday coupon code expires on December 31, 2025.)

The post 🎥 RECON Replay: Make Stuff Fast: Rapid Prototyping for Interactive Experiences appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Many of Richard Burns’ recent articles have explored characters in different ways:

• Tasks Help Players Connect With Characters In Escape Rooms
• Actors as Puzzles in Escape Rooms
• How To Add Life To Your Escape Room
• The Importance of Feeling Seen in Escape Rooms

It’s something we all think a lot about. And so do Dani Siller and Bill Sunderland, creators of Escape this Podcast. They’ve created more escape room characters than we can count, and they’ve explored lots of ways that players interact with characters. Their RECON 25 talk on the subject was inspiring.

If you want to play more rooms with characters, we have good news for you. Many of the world-renowned escape rooms in Laval have characters at their core. These include Escaparium’s Magnifico and Wardrobe for Sale and Immersia’s The St. Onge Case, among many others. When you come to Laval for RECON, you can play these games, and talk with others about how they experienced these characters.

Come experience RECON concepts in action. Join us for RECON Laval 2026. Tickets are on sale now!

If you want to see the live Q&A that followed this talk, it is available to our Patreon backers at $5 per month and above. Just join our Patreon community to get access.

About this Talk

Give Your Escape Games Some Character: Actors Not Required

The dynamic duo Bill Sunderland and Dani Siller from Escape This Podcast pioneered audio escape rooms and are possibly the medium’s most prolific creators. They are also co-writers of the hit video game Rise of the Golden Idol. Whatever the medium, they play with different ways to build worlds and craft gameplay, adding fun, excitement, and meaning to the player experience. A key way of delivering on that is through the inclusion of characters, and interweaving them into the setting and puzzles in meaningful ways. They will explore what makes your escape room memorable, how to give players motivation, and how to really make it feel like characters live in the world – and not just by having live actors!

About these Speakers

Dani Siller

Dani Siller is the lead escape room writer and game master of Escape This Podcast, having designed and run over 100 escape rooms as audio experiences since 2017. That being said, Dani firmly insists, “I’m not a puzzle designer. There are loads of people way better than me at that. I’m a storyteller.”

After having been a fiction-writing, puzzle-solving enthusiast since childhood, it was a no-brainer for Dani to join the world of escape rooms. (After learning about them from Mum!) Since then, Escape This Podcast has run rooms for some of the world’s biggest podcasters, movie stars, and puzzle industry professionals, and Dani has been commissioned to create content for everyone from private individuals to the Sydney Opera House. Some works are even award-winning!

In 2024, Dani also got to add “video game designer” to the resume, having worked as part of the writing team for Color Gray’s game Rise of the Golden Idol, and co-lead on the DLC The Sins of New Wells. Dani believes anything can be a great story, and anything can be a puzzle, as long as you weave intriguing characters and inviting mysteries into it.

Bill Sunderland

Bill Sunderland is one half of Consume This Media, creators of the audio escape room show “Escape This Podcast” and the murder mysteries of “Solve This Murder”. Both shows involve creating narrative and character driven puzzles/mysteries, and presenting an earnest and engaging attempt to solve these puzzles. As part of these shows, Bill works as co-host, producer, editor, composer, writer, and hapless puzzle solver.

Bill was also part of the writing and development team for mystery-puzzle game “Rise of the Golden Idol”, pops up around the internet on shows like “Lateral”, contributes voice acting for escape rooms and podcasts, and designs table-top roleplaying games like “Gateways”.

RECON 26

• August 16-17, 2026
• Laval, Québec, Canada
• Event Details

If you create or operate escape rooms or immersive games, this is an event you won’t want to miss. If you’re thinking about getting your start in this industry, come to RECON and get connected… to people and ideas. RECON is designed to propel this industry forward, creating sustainable careers, and giving players memorable adventures long into the future. Come be a part of this conversation.

Use code REA50 to get $50 off a RECON 26 General Ticket. (This holiday coupon code expires on December 31, 2025.)

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